As English has become an International Language, it is important to be learnt by everyone in this world. There are some reasons why English has been chosen as an International language that one of the reasons behind it, is English is easy to learn and understand. Regardless that English is an International Language, some people might want to know why English is interesting to be learnt deeply. It is not only learnt in 4 skills English but also it is interesting to find some things about English and its origin.

We have known that English also becomes one of the majors in University or College. Some people are interested in learning English not only about its grammar but also about the culture where the language comes from. Here are four must-know things about English you probably have only known some.

1. Different region, different accent/dialect

People who know or learn about English may only know the English accent from the American accent or the British accent. But, do you know that in England or United Kingdom, people who live in different region of the country will have their different English accent and dialect. According to the dialectblog.com, the “standard accent” of English came from the 19th century term called Received Pronunciation. A term was from a linguist A.J. Ellis. There are some different accents with their different regions from United Kingdom.

Here they are:

1. Cockney (East End of London)
2. Estuary English (Southeast British)
3. West Country (Southwest British)
4. Midlands English/Brummie (Birmingham English/East Midlands/West Midlands)
5. Northern England English (North of the Midlands, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, and Rural Yorkshire)
6. Geordie (Newcastle, Northeast England, half Northern England)
7. Welsh English (Wales)
8. Scottish English (Scotland)

These are only the British Accent as we know that English comes from the United Kingdom. They have their own characteristics from the languages or the pronunciation themselves.

2. Learning culture from the literature works and be wise

When we read or listen about other people’s stories, we might learn some other stories or even the advice behind them. Other than advice or the lessons behind those stories, we can learn the cultures from the literature works, especially from English Literature. We can learn the culture and some British cultural lesson from the literature works such as prose, drama and poetry. For instance, we can learn the British culture from Harry Potter (J.K Rowling), Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen), or from the books of William Shakespeare, the famous author from United Kingdom. Those are the example of the books. You don’t like reading? Don’t worry! You still can learn the literature works from the drama or movie.

The drama or the movie are not only about the entertainment but also the description about some cultures or the norms which happen in the society. The drama or the movie describes the culture, the lesson, of some societies clearly through the motion pictures. People are easily to understand the situation and the description of the society or cultures themselves. You can  try to watch movie such as The Canterbury Tales, Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice, and etc.

People who learn culture through the English literature will be wiser than other people who don’t, but why? Because they try to analyze and understand the issues which happen in each literature works and sometimes they apply the ways to solve or understand the issues in their real life. So, it’s up to you, do you want to learn other cultures, especially English cultures, through prose, drama, movie, or poetry?

3. Getting the borrowing-words from the rival

Not all English words as their pure words which come from United Kingdom or English Speaking Countries. Some of the English vocabularies are not originally from United Kingdom, they are borrowed from other countries, especially from the countries which were the rival of Great Britain.

France is the country which had ever been a rival of Great Britain. There were some wars which happened between these two countries. The very first war started in the year of 1066 A.D. The war called French Invasion of Normandy. The famous war was The French Revolution which started in 1793-1802 A.D. The war involved Britain because some part of the land also had become a place of the war.

Because of these wars, the English language was also influenced by the French. For instance, Ballet which means an artistic dance form performed to music. Another example is government which means the group of people with the authority to govern a country or a state. This word originated from Middle English when the government of Old French governed in Britain.

German is also the country which had ever been a rival of Great Britain. In the 5th century, German people called The Anglo-Saxon landed in England. The Anglo-Saxon came from the Northern Germany. Therefore, England has big history with Germany. Moreover, the famous battle between German and England started the World War I and it was continued in the year 1939 when Britain declared war on Germany which was called World War II.

As we know that German did some wars on Britain and the first people to come was the Anglo-Saxon people, English language is also influenced by the country. German words which are also used in English language are fest which means a festival or gathering devoted to a particular activity or interest and kindergarten which means an establishment where children below the age of compulsory education play and learn. Both words came from the middle 19th Century.

Behind all the wars which had happened, those countries with Great Britain live peacefully now. They just did some wars and made some regulations, but they are put together, especially by the languages.

4. Are you interested in learning English Linguistics or English Literature?

If you are committed to learn English language deeply, you must know these two terms, English Linguistics and English Literature. Both are the science which are learn in English major. But some people will choose their passion between Linguistics and Literature to be learnt deeply.

1. Linguistics

According to the Oxford Online Dictionary, Linguistics is the scientific study of language and its structure, including the study of grammar, syntax, and phonetics. The linguistics refers to the systematic study of language. In English studies, when we learn about linguistics we will learn the fields such as English phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and phonetics. A person who studies linguistics or a person skilled in foreign language called linguist.

2. Literature

According to the Oxford Online Dictionary, Literature is the written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit. In one source (www.differencebetween.com) mentions that literature is a work of art which could be learnt from prose, drama, or poetry. Literature is the study of written works within a language. In English Literature, you will learn the genre and the different periods of English Literature based on when the Literature works were written. For instance, the Puritan period will have different genre or sense of the story from the Victorian Period.

So, after knowing these things, are you in love with English Linguistics or English Literature?

Those are 4 things you must know about English Language and its science. There are lots of things which we can talk about English. The most important thing is if you want to be a good English speaker or learner, you have to put your biggest effort whether to know or to learn the English itself.

 

 

 

Let’s admit that whenever you want to face the examination, you will feel the fear, worry, or even the feeling that you can’t explain at all. Don’t worry! It is a common thing among the students or the college students. You and other students may think that the exam would change your life and if you didn’t get good scores then you wouldn’t get good friends or even you would get angry from your parents. That is why you have to prepare yourself and you have your own confidence to face it.

There are some ways to prepare yourselves before facing the examination. You may want to take a look for a while the tips to face the examination below…

1. Be confidence

This is what you have burried in your mind and heart. Believe in your self and be confidence. Every person has their own ability but some of them can show it. The first thing that you have to do  is giving your confidence of your ability, then you can use them in your exam. You don’t have to be afraid. It is only the exam and you just have to be confidence to finish it.

2. Write or draw the worries

This is the simple way. Some college students must hold some papers before the examination. All of the papers are for the materials in the exam. You will always open them whenever you want to face the exam. Now, provide one blank paper and try to write all of your worries. This is the effective way to reduce your stress. You may write all of your problems or your fear. If you love to draw, you may draw your feeling to whatever shape or things you want.

3. Do fun activities

You may have your own hobby or fun ways to spend the leisure time. Now, before you face the exam, try to do your hobby or fun ways which you always do in your leisure time. This might help you to reduce or not to think about the exam first. Some people may always think about the difficulties of the exam without knowing or doing something fun to reduce them. Now, you may try to reduce the stress by doing some things fun. You can go to the dream park spending your holiday there, shout as hard as you can. You may also do your hobbies and produce some cool stuff. It’s all up to you as long as it is fun for you.

4. Do the Mind Mapping

This is the unique way that some of you may be a new person to use. Doing the mind mapping will help you to remember the materials of a lecture  or lesson. The mind mapping helps you to remember the things which will be divided into some pictures and mostly some people use the mind mapping with the picture of the clouds. If you want to do the mind mapping, then you have to decide what lesson or topics which you would like to make. For instance, you want to make the mind mapping about ‘simple present tense’, so you have to make some of the clouds, flowers, or circles which have the important points of the lesson. Then, you connect them with the line and make sure that you make them with the colorful markers or pen, so that you won’t find them boring to look up or memorize.

5. Don’t read and memorize all the lessons in one night!

It is not really effective and it is only make you feel tired and stress. Try to study all the lessons after the lessons have been taught by the lecturer or the teacher. Keep practicing all of the exercise the lecturer have given. If you just study the lecture or lesson in one night, your brain will blow up and it only makes you feel lazy to study because there are a lot of topics and lessons to be studied, memorized, and understood. So, let’s train yourself to practice all the time and not giving too much time to study some lessons in the night before the exam.

6. Make a study’s group

Some students may feel so shy when they have chances to ask the teacher or the lecturer, that is why they may feel comfortable when they ask their friends about difficult things on the lessons. Because of that, some students are suggested to make a group of study before the exam, or they may make it during the active semester. The students who don’t understand or can’t absorb the lessons well can ask the fast learner students who understand the lessons. With the group discussion, they can share everything about the lessons without embarrassed.

So now, you have had the tips to face the examination without fear and worry. It is all up to you, which are the best tips for you?

This world has a lot of countries and some continent and we agree that our International language is English. Some people usually use English because they have to use it, except for the countries who have announced that their mother language is English. We know that learning English is not as easy as people with their mother language learn this language. After all, one thing that we have to realize that, to make the language is easy to learn is to practice it.

Some people have their own ways to learn English. The time which they choose is according to their comfort and free time. We have to realize that learning English or using English language doesn’t need to wait for the time, but practice it every time and everywhere. People may think that if they take English course, so the place for learning English is only in that place. People may also think that if English is not mother language, do they have to use or practice it?

There are the place and the good time to speak and learn English. Would you like to know them fellas?

The Place:

1. At the School or a course place with friends, with teacher or with lecturer

This is the best place to learn and practice your English, especially for English students. Probably, English is not your first language or your mother language but you are into English. You feel that your English is not as good as your friends, but then let’s start to practice with your friends. You think that some of your friends are very clever to speak English, ask them to speak and use English together. You can start by speaking about small talk after that you can speak about your task in English conversation.

You can also practice and speak English with your teacher or lecturer. When you want to ask about the description of the task or when you want to ask their permission to leave the class, you can speak in English. It helps although you will think that it is just a simple conversation in English.

2. At home with family

We believe that some of your family can speak English although it is just a simple expression. Your family also thinks that it is important to learn English because it has become an International language. You will feel more comfortable when you learn with your family. You will feel less embarrassed to speak wrong expression or grammar. It is more fun to learn English together with your family, isn’t it?

3. Studying or having a holiday abroad

This is your next level of speaking English. You have been confidence of using English and you want to use or practice it in other countries. Studying abroad may be a good choice for you. You have finished your school or your first degree in university and you think that it is better to feel different atmosphere of school or college. Having a holiday abroad is also the good choice to speak or learn English. You get two valuable occasions. First, you can get the holiday in different countries than where you are now and second, you can practice your English in those countries.

Studying or having a holiday abroad in English speaking countries is the best choice. They will provide the native speakers and you will get the lesson about how to use the grammar or the conversation well.

The Time:

1. Everyday and every time

You don’t have to ask more about the time when you learn English. Practice it every day. You can speak to your Mom or Dad, you can speak to your fellas at home or at school, or you can speak to yourself. If you want to be a fluent person, then you’d better practice your English everyday. You think it is unusual to speak English by yourself in front of mirror, but it helps. Remember, learning and speaking English no need to think about the time when you have to speak it.

2. In the morning

After you try to speak or use your English everyday and everytime, you need to think about other expression and the grammar itself. Try to spare your time in the morning before you start your activity. Let’s learn at least 5 different words and apply them in the sentences or let’s learn 5 different grammar topics and the tenses.

3. In the afternoon or in the evening

These are the best time to practice your English or speak English with your fellas. After you finish your activity in a day, then you can speak or use the English by talking with your friends about your activity. You can also learn together about the English itself or the English movie, music, and entertainment. So, enjoy your time with English!

Those are the time and the place that you can apply while you are learning English. We know that every person has their own way to learn English for the choice of the time and the place. Remember, as long as you practice more your English, you don’t have to think about the place and the time. Just speak and practice your English. Now, do you have the recommendation of the time and the place for learning English?

Pada hari Minggu tanggal 1 Oktober 2017 telah digelar Tes Uji Kompetensi Bahasa Inggris yang diselenggarakan oleh Lembaga Sertifikasi Kompetensi Bahasa Inggris atau biasa disingkat LSK-BIG. Uji kompetensi yang diselenggarakan setiap tahun ini diselenggarakan dengan tujuan untuk mengukur kemampuan para mahasiswa di STBA Pertiwi dalam penerapan ilmu bahasa Inggris yang sudah mereka pelajari. Tes Uji Kompetensi ini mencakup empat kemampuan bahasa Inggris dan tes ini diikuti oleh hampir 100-150 orang peserta yang berasal dari peserta mahasiswa STBA Pertiwi, jalur mandiri, dan beberapa lembaga kursus.

Berikut ini adalah hasil dari Tes Uji Kompetensi dari 3 level yang telah diikuti peserta :

1. Survival English
2. English For Communication

Selamat kepada para peserta dengan predikat “Competent”. Bagi para peserta dengan predikat “Not Competent” dapat kembali mengikuti Tes Uji Kompetensi dengan waktu dan tempat yang nanti akan ditentukan kembali.